Worth $30? Craigslist stopgap PC Advice

MrNinjaSquirrel

MrNinjaSquirrel

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So I've been meaning to upgrade from the dinosaur of a laptop I've been using, but don't have the funds to buy a nice new PC at the moment. I saw this on craigslist, and thought it was worth the $30 they were asking. I'd just like to know what you guys think, if it's worth it, or I should just hold out and try to keep using my laptop I've had. I mainly only want it for basic tasks (browsing, word editing, and indie games).

Old Laptop
OS: Linux
CPU: Intel Celeron M @ 1.6Ghz
GPU: Intel GMA 950
RAM: 768mb
HDD: 80GB:rofl:
Special Note: One of the main reasons I need something new soon is because the power jack on my laptop is messed up. I have to keep it jammed against something or it won't work, and looking online it seems it could even be a potential fire hazard:hot:

New-to-Me PC for $30
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate
CPU: Intel Celeron D 347 @ 3.06 (I know single core is awful, but compared to what I've been using...)
GPU: Integrated, but I've got a nVidia Geforce 7800 GT I can put in it that was given to me for free.
RAM: 2GB
HDD: 80GB (will upgrade this as quick as I can)

So yeah, just want some thoughts on if this will even work well enough to notice the difference (I don't see how it couldn't, but PCs are weird sometimes).
 
[quote name='aShufflinZombie']Sounds like a good deal to me except that windows is probably not a genuine copy.[/QUOTE]

hmm, is that going to be a problem? I don't have much experience with windows 7, so I don't know what that would mean (aside from the questionable morality of it).
 
[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']hmm, is that going to be a problem? I don't have much experience with windows 7, so I don't know what that would mean (aside from the questionable morality of it).[/QUOTE]
There is a slight learning curve to it but most of it is the "right-click" that shows you what you can do. But I'm actually starting to wonder if Windows can smoothly run on 2GB of RAM.
 
[quote name='Relentless Sheep']There is a slight learning curve to it but most of it is the "right-click" that shows you what you can do. But I'm actually starting to wonder if Windows can smoothly run on 2GB of RAM.[/QUOTE]

well I've been using a laptop a bit for the last couple days, with similar specs, and it seems to run alright on 2GB. I will probably upgrade that to 4 soon, as it wouldn't be to much, but I think it will still work ok for the time being.
 
Well two recommendations, first, make sure this thing takes DDR3 RAM for easy and cheap memory upgrade and 2nd, if it has SATA 3 ports. If so, then you can change your main OS drive to a cheap SSD drive to make this thing fly.
 
[quote name='s0undwav3']Well two recommendations, first, make sure this thing takes DDR3 RAM for easy and cheap memory upgrade and 2nd, if it has SATA 3 ports. If so, then you can change your main OS drive to a cheap SSD drive to make this thing fly.[/QUOTE]

I think it's only DD2:cry: I don't really think I will be able to look it completely over inside and out, and I'm not sure I could tell the difference between different SATA versions. Here is a product manual I found that I think goes to it, but it's of the whole product line so a bit hard to decipher exactly what's in this computer:

http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/12668_div/12668_div.HTML
 
[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']hmm, is that going to be a problem? I don't have much experience with windows 7, so I don't know what that would mean (aside from the questionable morality of it).[/QUOTE]

If its not cracked properly, you won't be able to receive windows updates.

If you have a micro center near you, they sell Pentium 4 refurbs with windows and a 90 warranty for $70.
 
[quote name='aShufflinZombie']If its not cracked properly, you won't be able to receive windows updates.

If you have a micro center near you, they sell Pentium 4 refurbs with windows and a 90 warranty for $70.[/QUOTE]

I don't unfortunately. Well that doesn't sound to good, but I think it's worth the risk.
 
Just thought I'd update and say I didn't get it. Emailed the seller, after already arranging to meet tonight, and asked in as unaccusatory a manor as I could if windows was genuine. Replied back saying he sold it last night, which I find hard to believe as had arranged to meet tonight after already past 8-9 last night. So I think I dodged a bullet and he was trying to sell a pirated copy. Oh well I guess, I'll just have to save for a bit and I'll build myself an actually halfway decent PC (will of course be back for advice on that as well;)). Thanks for the tip, I wouldn't have thought to check if it was valid.
 
[quote name='MrNinjaSquirrel']Just thought I'd update and say I didn't get it. Emailed the seller, after already arranging to meet tonight, and asked in as unaccusatory a manor as I could if windows was genuine. Replied back saying he sold it last night, which I find hard to believe as had arranged to meet tonight after already past 8-9 last night. So I think I dodged a bullet and he was trying to sell a pirated copy. Oh well I guess, I'll just have to save for a bit and I'll build myself an actually halfway decent PC (will of course be back for advice on that as well;)). Thanks for the tip, I wouldn't have thought to check if it was valid.[/QUOTE]

The part that clued on me on a pirated copy is why would a $30 computer being sold with a $300 copy of windows and that fb page looked shady as all hell. Mispellings, terrible pictures, lack of info...
 
Windows 7 cant even run on that.. they are probably selling it because they messed it up from doing that. Not even worth your time man. just save up. also you can't just put graphics cards inside of laptops.
also the reason the number brought you there is because they probably are a legit shop, but its probably just some guy flipping computers that he gets from people.
 
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[quote name='Rahori']Windows 7 cant even run on that.. they are probably selling it because they messed it up from doing that. Not even worth your time man. just save up. also you can't just put graphics cards inside of laptops.
also the reason the number brought you there is because they probably are a legit shop, but its probably just some guy flipping computers that he gets from people.[/QUOTE]

I'm going to save up, already have a few in mind, but just wanted something to tide me over. Glad I didn't buy it though, as it sounds pretty awful when I actually consider it all. It wasn't a laptop though, obviously a graphics card isn't going to fit in their:lol:

But yeah, I think it's probably some dude out of his moms basement. All the ones on the FB page were WAY over priced and pictures were little more than clip art. Will be sure to stay clear of craigslist computers, not worth the trouble.
 
My advice is if you can afford $30 right now, set it it aside somewhere and don't touch it. If you can afford $30 next month, do it again. In about a year you'd have 300 to 400.
 
[quote name='CheapLikeAFox']My advice is if you can afford $30 right now, set it it aside somewhere and don't touch it. If you can afford $30 next month, do it again. In about a year you'd have 300 to 400.[/QUOTE]

good advice, and what I'm planning on doing. I figure if I cut most excess spending (ie. stop feeding the backlog for a bit), I can probably scrounge up 300-400 in a month or two. I've typically been good at saving, but I guess I was just really mad at my laptop (which surprisingly has been working better since this whole thing. Maybe it got the message it's heading out the door:lol:). Now I just have to find a decent PC for that price (probably not going to build one after all, despite how I want to, as a laptop is sorta required for school). So yeah, off to look for a decent laptop:)

My main goal now is to get one before the steam summer sale, for obvious reasons:cool:
 
If you go to college you can get one on your tuition. I bought one, but after that semester i got rejected for not paying my bills when they had my loans. Oh well. free laptop
 
[quote name='Rahori']If you go to college you can get one on your tuition. I bought one, but after that semester i got rejected for not paying my bills when they had my loans. Oh well. free laptop[/QUOTE]

just not sure I want to wait that long (will be graduating in a couple months, and it'll take at least a little bit to get college plans all sorted). My current laptop is on it's final stump of a leg, so I think if I can get the cash I'll just get one now. It's not a huge amount of money, and seems worth it to me. Sorry you got kicked out, that really sucks:cry: but at least you got something good out of it;)
 
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